March 26, 2011
Final Stats
Call Baseball Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details - 386.481.2278 -
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Opening the MEAC season against Florida A&M at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Saturday, the Wildcats definitely got the conference slate off on the right foot. B-CU took both games on opening day, while only trailing in two innings for the day. In both games, the Wildcats brought their bats early to build leads, and used tough defense and pitching to follow through to the win. B-CU won 6-3 and 7-5 respectively.
In game one, B-CU got rolling with six runs in the first four innings, claiming the early lead and holding FAMU scoreless through the fourth inning. The Rattlers grabbed runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but B-CU's defense cut the rally short, with assistance from great efforts by the Wildcat bullpen in relievers Jairo Acevedo (Win- 1-0, 1 run, 0 walks, 1 K) and Jordan Dailey (Save, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, 4 K's) to wrap up the 6-3 win.
Paul Biocic led the team, going 3-3 on the game, with two RBI. Peter O'Brien made a huge offensive impact as well, with 2-3 hitting and two RBI, including a two-run homer in the second inning.
In game two of the double-header, the Rattlers knocked the Wildcats off balance, but B-CU quickly bounced back. FAMU fired off four runs in the opening frame to take the early lead. However, just as in the first game, B-CU went to work early on offense, collecting three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning on an Emmanuel Castro shot over the left field wall for three RBI.
B-CU tallied up three runs in consecutive innings, coming back in the second with Biocic continuing his top flight hitting with a three-RBI double to left center field which gave B-CU a 6-0 advantage.
The 'Cats got on the board once more, in the bottom of the fifth, as Nick Johnson fired a solo homer past the left field fence.
Meanwhile, B-CU stepped it up defensively, preventing any FAMU conversions on offensive opportunities. After the first inning, B-CU held the Rattlers scoreless until the seventh and final inning. Taking the first relief slot, Patrick Goelz took care of FAMU for 4.2 innings, notching six strikeouts with no runs and just two walks.
In the seventh, closer Chris Anselmo stepped in on the mound and finished off Florida A&M with the final strikeout, allowing just a single run in a tough bases-loaded situation.
Despite putting up just five hits in game two, the Wildcats made the most of opportunities, converting big in the 7-5 win to move to 2-0 in conference play. Biocic and Castro shared the offensive leader role, each tallying three RBI and going 1-3 at the plate. Biocic's second game performance made quite a day for the freshman, batting 4-6 with five RBI on the day.
The Wildcats (13-13, 2-0 MEAC) return to the FAMU series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in the confines of Jackie Robinson Ballpark, looking to make the sweep to start the hunt for their sixth consecutive MEAC crown.
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